San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-02-25
A PHANTOM BRIDE.
BY the Author of 1.-THE Ice CAR
NIyAL."

unconscious of the world beyond, and
not until the last fold of those brocad-
ed-skirts disappeared within the en-
trance doors did the child's gaze revert
to figure now beside her-the lady's
escort, a tall young Englishman, who
had returned for some forgotten trifle
in the carriage and now stood with his
hand upon the door, giving final direc-
lions to the coachman on the box.
Meanwhile he CHANGED to jerk from
his buttonhole white moss rosebud
and feathery fern, which fell at Greta's
feet-only, however, to be instantly
rescued from the mire by her eager
claw-like hand.
'Heyl it wur beauytifull" such was
her mental comment, as with the in
stinctive habit which in her case, had,
indeed, become second nature" she
hurriedly concealed the flowers beneath
the ragged tartan shawl knotted about
her waist. But even as she did so, she
glanced up again in the young mans
face, and it seemed to her even "beau-
tifuller" than the flowers; beautiful
Ter" than the lady's; beautiful, in truth,
as those of the angels in that far-oH
world of which one still Sabbath even
ing she had heard minister" in
white "nee'loth" preach to a meagre
crowd on Barnes Common not very
long ago.
Imp1lsively she stretched her small
hand forth again, and plucked at the
skirt of 9Th gents" light overcoat; he
turned quickly, to see the child holding
the flowers out towards him.
.'Your'n," she stated briefly, empha-
sizing the word with sagacious nod of
her uncovered head. Yer dropt
'em."
"Hal thanksl" his fingers momenta-
rally brushed her own as he resumed
the button-hole. Here" he added la
conically, thrusting two fingers into his
waistcoat-pocket, and tossing her
small silver coin, YOU'RE an honest lit
tie girl"
For perhaps he read in Greta's eyes
and the expression of hey thin pinched
features, that this effort in the right di-
rection had not been accomplished
without a struggle-though as her
small life was neither more nor less
than a succession of struggles, he
might well have spared himself and her
special commiseration on this account.
AS we have seen, however, he flung
her the coin, and Greta with a sudden
throb of overwhelming joy clutched it
tight, took to her heels, and followed
feetly, despite of jostling crowds upon
the pavement, and throngs of cabs and
carriages in the roadway, in the direc-
ton her superior had taken some min
utes previously.
She would not tell Margot; that
point she had accorded instantaneous
decision; so now with guilty glee she
popped the bright little threepenny bit
into her mouth, for thus only might she
successfully evade Margot's vigilance.
Never, never before in the whole brief
space of her eleven summers, had Greta
found herself the proud possessor of
silver coin, and strangely enough her
impulse now was to cling to it, guard
it, save it from the rapacious clutches
of her elder, rather than yield it up to
be transmitted into bread-albeit so far
there seemed every prospect of both
Greta and Margot remaining supper
less.
Yes, the child was famished, and, obi
how cold. She knew not whittier they
journeyed-scarce, indeed, whence they
came; she recognized only by some
half-brutish instinct that she must jog
on close to the woman's heels; why,
she never paused to ponder, perhaps
tionably for three whole long years.
"Hulloa nool What's afther?n Mar
got had turned suddenly round with an
eye of menace and hand in readiness
to deal the habitual blow, but finding
Greta close beside her 1.-THE child hay-
ing indeed but just gained that vantage
ground), neither at standstill nor gaz-
ing in at a shop-window, as she had
perhaps anticipated, the salutary cuff
was reserved for some future occasion,
the exertion thus husbanded expanding
itself in prolonged grOan.
"Heyl Use spentl' the woman
moaned, rather to herself, it seemed,
than the callous crowd, the frosty
night, or the needless child beside her.
"Hear- Graata- lend hand. Moo thanl